Aztar plans riverfront theater Shows plans to commission

Construction of a 1,046-seat theater for live performances at Casino Aztar in Downtown Evansville is set to begin next month, according to Evansville Redevelopment Commission records.

The project appears to represent a change in direction for William Yung III, president and chief executive of Casino Aztar owner Columbia Sussex. In May, he announced he would halt a planned renovation of the riverboat after Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel called for an Indiana Gaming Commission investigation into the company. Weinzapfel requested a probe of the company's layoffs of about 70 people in addition to 20 positions cut earlier.

Yung did not return a telephone call Tuesday, and Casino Aztar General Manager Maureen Keenan declined to comment on the theater project.

"We're not prepared to make a public announcement concerning the theater now," Keenan said. "We will later."

Weinzapfel said Tuesday he has no details on the new project. Earlier, the mayor said he doubted Yung had any real intention of going forward with a $60 million riverboat renovation, which would have included a new entertainment venue.

The casino's project manager provided a map and preliminary construction plans to the Redevelopment Commission, which approved the project on Tuesday. Plans indicate the theater will be built on the casino's property located west of the hotel entrance in front of the parking garage and adjacent to Fast Eddy's restaurant at 507 NW Riverside Drive.

The vacant lot where the theater would be located can now be used to access the parking garage. Plans call for the theater to be located on a second floor and adjacent to the parking deck.

Architectural Group International of Covington, Ky., has set September as the anticipated start date.

"The (south facade, which would face Riverside Drive) will be modified to accommodate the new work, matching existing materials and color scheme," states an Aug. 2 Redevelopment Commission memorandum.

Jeff Schabell, Architectural Group International project manager, said Casino Aztar had earlier plans to put a theater in the "infill space."

"It's actually where the original development was going to have a theater (in 1995)," Schabell told the Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday. "I guess it was put on hold."

The commission, which approves development agreements and establishes tax increment financing for site acquisition and infrastructure improvements, is the first step in a process that also will include obtaining building permits.

It is not clear whether the new theater would charge admission prices or what types of live performances would be offered there. The city and county also operate entertainment venues in Downtown. The county owns The Centre and the city owns The Victory. Both facilities, however, are managed by SMG Inc., a private management firm.

Todd Denk, general manager of SMG Inc., did not return a phone message.

Also during Tuesday's Redevelopment Commission meeting, commission members took under advisement a conceptual plan for the Pigeon Creek Commerce Center, formerly known as the Center City Industrial Park.

The plan was prepared last month by Quality Environmental Professionals Inc., an Indianapolis consulting firm that has opened an office in Evansville.

The park will be bordered approximately by Fulton Avenue on the east, Columbia Street on the south and Pigeon Creek on the west and north.

"This is something that the mayor has looked at; we've been working on it for the past couple of years," said Metropolitan Development Director Gregg LaMar.

Commission members and his department will go into the affected area to "talk about what it is we're looking at doing there," LaMar said.